


What They Wanted

by Axelrocks



Category: The Big Bang Theory (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-14
Updated: 2014-03-14
Packaged: 2018-01-15 16:26:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,936
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1311451
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Axelrocks/pseuds/Axelrocks
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AU 3x08. What if Leonard didn't go to the meteor shower with Howard and Raj? What if Penny knows this and still called for Sheldon to help?</p>
            </blockquote>





	What They Wanted

**Author's Note:**

> This is an AU of The Adhesive Duck Deficiency. There is no Leonard/Penny.

All she had wanted to do was come home after her long shift at The Cheesecake Factory and take a nice, long, hot shower, and maybe a Johnny Depp movie.  _Hmm, what will it be tonight? Edward Scissorhands? Benny and Joon? Both?_  She nodded to herself as she began to undress for her shower. Both it was.

But she didn't always get what she wanted.

* * *

All he had wanted was a nice, quiet evening. Alone. Absolutely alone. Then he could do his work on his paper on the decays of highly excited massive string states in silence , eat his food without any banal chit chat and watch his favorite shows without interruptions.

Unfortunately, this time, Sheldon Lee Cooper did  _not_ get his way.

* * *

All he wanted was to date his hot blonde neighbor across the hall. He had convinced himself that she was his dream girl and one day she would see him for the nice guy he was and give him a chance. He had even turned down Howard and Raj's invitation to go with him to see the Leonid meteor shower in hopes that tonight would be his lucky night.

It wasn't.

* * *

"Come on, dude, we go every year." Raj stood in Sheldon and Leonard's apartment and tried convincing the latter to come with.

"Yeah, man, plus you'll be able to get away from Dr. Crazy, for a night," said Howard, indiscreetly nodding his head in Sheldon's direction.

"Howard, I am not crazy, my mother had me tested." The phrase rolled off his tongue, he had said many times before. Swiveling in chair he addressed Leonard. "Yes, Leonard, you should go."

"No, I'm going to stay home tonight. I mean, I saw them last year and they are kind of the same every time right?" He twisted his hands and squinted through his glasses. "Besides, Penny just got home and I was going to ask her if she wanted to go see a movie, or get some dinner. Or both. Whatever she wants to do."

"You know you won't get some until the third date." Howard couldn't help but say with his creepy smile and eyebrow waggle.

Sheldon just rolled his eyes. Couldn't that man think of anything else besides sex? No wonder he only had a Masters degree.

"Well, technically Penny and I have gone on one date and if she accepts tonight maybe there could be an exception." He smiled brightly at the thought.

"Well, good luck with that, dude." Raj sounded slightly doubtful. Unbeknownst to his other friends but he didn't really see the Lenny happening. If it was meant to be it would have happened already. He was a firm believer of finding true love and he wasn't seeing it in a relationship between Leonard and Penny. Besides, he always pictured Penny with someone taller and smarter. Someone like…

Whoa, dude. He needed to stop thinking like that…like  _now._

"Come on, Howard, let's go."

If his best friend noticed Raj staring at Sheldon and shaking his head wildly, like he was trying to shake his thoughts off something, he didn't say anything.

They said their good-byes and were gone.

All Sheldon could do was glare at his computer screen. It wasn't often when he didn't get what he wanted.

* * *

Leonard had left the apartment happy and confident and had returned only a few minutes later sad and dejected. Penny had turned him down. She had been flattered that he had asked her on a date but said that she didn't see them becoming more than friends. And plus she just wanted to stay in for the night.

He had to admit to himself that he wasn't going to get what he wanted. Especially if what he wanted was Penny.

* * *

Instead of having the hot spray of her shower cascade down her body and soothe her muscles she was getting it in her face as she laid at the bottom of her bathtub with the shower curtain wrapped around her and her right shoulder throbbing in pain. She couldn't move to turn the water off, in fact she couldn't move at all. So she did the only thing she could do. She called for help.

* * *

Leonard plopped down in the armchair, maybe he should have gone with Howard and Raj after all. Now he was stuck with Sheldon for the rest of the night.

"I could have told you that your excursion across the hall would only result in failure, Leonard."

"Yeah, whatever, Sheldon. I don't need this right now. I'm going to bed." He stood up from his chair and shuffled depressingly to his room.

Sheldon couldn't help but smirk. Now he had the night to himself, knowing Leonard was just going to sulk in his room for the rest of the night.

"SHELDON!" Penny's shrill cry could be heard clearly.

He jerked in the direction of the door. What did Penny need assistance with now.

"SHELDON! HURRY!"

She was clearly in distress. He jumped up from his chair and raced across the hall.

* * *

Let it never be said that Sheldon Lee Cooper ignored the pleas of a damsel in distress. But drive? No, no, no. Then he remembered Leonard was home. He could drive!

"Penny, wait here. I'll go and get Leonard and he can take you to the hospital."

She looked slightly disappointed. "You'll come with, right?"

"There's no need for me to come with. Leonard can help you with your shoulder, among other needs you may require."

She pouted. "Please, Sheldon."

The truth was she didn't want to be alone in a car with Leonard right now, especially after she turned him down.

"Very well. I will go get Leonard and we both will accompany you."

* * *

"She asked you for help?" Were the first words out of Leonard's mouth once Sheldon finished demanding he take him and Penny to the hospital.

Sheldon blinked. "Yes, and since I cannot drive she is also in need of your help as well."

"Why didn't she just ask for my help in the first place?"

"I don't know!" Sheldon said impatiently. "Leonard, Penny is in quite a deal of pain and you standing here asking me pointless questions isn't helping her one bit!"

* * *

Sheldon reluctantly climbed into the back seat and for reasons unknown he was glad that Penny had wanted him to come with.

* * *

Leonard fidgeted in his seat beside Sheldon as the tall physicist asked Penny questions from the form he had in his hand. She was growing more irritated by the second and finally she just stopped him in his flow of questions.

"Hey, Sheldon, Sheldon, look, I am scared and in a lot of pain. Could you please just take a break from being you for just a minute and try being, I don't know, comforting?"

Sheldon placed the clipboard on his lap. Be more comforting? He could try.

He placed a gentle hand on her arm, careful not to hurt it any further, and pulled his face into what he hoped was a smile. But it felt to harsh, so he softened it.

"There, there. Sheldon's here."

She smiled, the first time since she had dislocated her shoulder. "Thank you, Sheldon. I feel much better."

It seemed they had forgotten that Leonard was only a seat away.

* * *

"Are you sure you don't need my help?" Leonard asked one more time once they got the fourth landing of their apartment building.

"For the third time, Leonard, I am perfectly capable of helping Penny into bed." He had quickly grab her uninjured arm when she stumbled up the last step.

She giggled and looked up at him. "Thanks, Sheldon. You're my hero." She leaned close to him and said in a loud whisper. "You can peak anytime you want."

His eyes bugged out in shock. What was that supposed to mean? Apparently she needed to get into her bed. Now.

"Goodnight, Leonard." He quickly said and stepped into Penny's apartment, shutting the door in Leonard's confused face. He could only shake his head and retreat to his own apartment.

Penny giggled again, obviously a drugged Penny was a giggly one. "So are you going to get me into bed, Sheldon?" She giggled once more. "I've been waiting to say that for awhile."

"Penny, I'm afraid I don't understand." He pressed himself against her door as she began to walk towards him.

"Y'know, Sheldon, out of all the you guys I thought you were the cutest." She tripped over her own feet and fell onto Sheldon's chest.

He let out a squeak, but didn't move her.

She looked up at him and smiled.

His mind went blank as she raised up on her toes and kissed him. For awhile he didn't respond at all and instead just stood there with her mouth on his and his eyes wide opened. But he found that he quite liked the sensation and allowed his eyes to close and he kissed her back. The kiss didn't last long after that and then Penny went down on her heels.

She smiled back up at him again and grabbed his hand. "Come on, Moonpie." She led him to her bedroom stumbling slightly and still very giggly. "You have to sing me 'Soft Kitty'."

* * *

Knock! Knock! Knock!

"Ugh!" Penny groaned. Her right arm throbbed in pain and it was denitely too early to get up. "Sheldon if that's you I swear-"

"I'm right here, Penny."

She jumped when she heard his voice so close. She turned in her bed and sure enough there he was. He was laying on his side, fully clothed and his hair in disarray.

Looking past him she read the clock and saw that it was 7:30. Had Sheldon slept in her bed all night. Looking once again at his disheveled state she knew she had. Her memory was vague and she didn't remember much of last night. Except…

"Oh my God! Sheldon, I kissed you!" She jumped out of bed, looking horrified. "I'm sorry, I was drugged and-"

"I wasn't going to complain, Penny." He said it so softly and calmly she had to wonder if she was still dreaming. Sheldon didn't mind that she had kissed him? Did that mean he had a deal? Was the deal  _her?_

Before she could open her mouth and asked the knocking on her door resumed and this time much louder.

"I have to get that."

* * *

Leonard was wringing his hands as he waited for Penny to open the door. Maybe Sheldon had gone over earlier this morning to make sure she took her pills or something.

Yeah, that was it.

The door was yanked open. "What?" Penny growled.

He jumped back slightly. "Um…is Sheldon here? It's time for work and I couldn't find him anywhere in the apartment."

But she didn't have to answer because the man in question appeared behind her. In the same clothes he wore last night.

"I will not be going to work today, Leonard. I have decided to stay home and take care of Penny."

"Um, okay. Well, I'll see you two later?"

"Of course, Leonard. Tonight is Cheeseburger Night and seeing as Penny will not be at work we will be going to Big Boy."

He could only nod. "Well, I'm just going to, uh, leave." He turned to go, not even waiting for their goodbyes.

Sheldon closed the door and this time Penny was against it. And this time he kissed her.

* * *

On the way to work Leonard could only think one thing.

He  _really_ wished he had gone with Howard and Raj.


End file.
